1. Project Summary and Relationship to China's Agenda 21 The overall objective of the research is to develop an application orientated method for defining operational categories of land use potential with regard to socio-economic and ecological requirements, with the aim of securing conditions for sustainable development, and for the purpose of furthering regional and urban planning. The integration of environmental objectives in terms of future qualities and availability of natural resources in a region with its objectives of future social and economic development is until the present not generally practised. The Methods to be worked out and applied to the territory of the Jangling county, China, as a pilot test case, will therefore have to take into account, on the one hand, the traditional elements of population growth and of change in the level and structure of economic activities as well as the resulting requirements in transportation and other aspects of or infrastructure. On the other hand, at least the main objectives concerning natural resources and environmental quality must be considered. The project is based on programme areas 14D and 10A of China's Agenda 21, and related the programme areas 17C, 11G and 12A.

2. Background Great changes in all aspects of social, economic and environmental situations in China have brought about remarkably profound challenges to the country since the 1980's. During the last decade, the Central Government as well as provincial and local governments at different levels have undertaken various efforts to support primarily those activities which contribute to strengthen China's economic performance and its integration into the system of world markets. However, several unwelcome consequences of this strategy have resulted from many spontaneous management decisions on natural resource utilization which often neglected long- term aspects of sustainable development. For instance, the loss of a huge amount of highly fertile soils, significant degradation of environmental qualities in many regions have occurred. Ecological concerns, and corresponding strategies, policies and measures with regard to implementing the objective of sustainable development have been well documented in "China's Agenda 21- White Paper on China's Population, Environment, and Development in the 21st Century". This means that China is not simply confronted with the great challenge to respect the objectives of sustainable development, but to make it applicable in somewhat standardised ways, so that they can become an important element of decision making, in particular whenever it is necessary to give specific attention to the land use aspect of the conservation and utilization of natural resources. However, the practices for more than two years indicate that although much has been written on the reasons for turning to concepts of sustainable development, the methods available to apply the new thinking and to translate it into operational suggestions on how to improve planning and plan implementation still remain poor. Therefore, improvement in the capability of Chinese local government decision- making in the rational use and management of natural resources will be significant The greatest challenge to applied ecology over the coming years is to develop models for the regional development which can be applied in practice. International societies have developed some methods for the integration of environmental objectives and availability of natural resources. This project hopes to receive assistance from international institutions to carry out, in the territory of the Jiangning county. as a pilot test case, to develop the methodology and effective mechanism of natural resources protection and sustainable socio-economic development. The county of Jiangning is situated in the Qinghuai River Basin, at the southern and of city of Nanjing, Jiangsu province, in the western end of the "Yangtze Delta", the hinterland of Shanghai. The county comprises an area of about 1,599 kmsq. meters with a population of almost 750,000 inhabitants. Jiangning county is characterised by high population density, a comparatively great diversity of landscapes, and intensive agriculture. The farming system decisively depends upon the water balance of the region for which climatic factors, water storage capacity and the flood controlling capacity of the water system in the Qinghui river basin are the decisive factors intensive farming and land use in the county, which is representative of the shortage and value of arable land in south-eastern china. A rapid growth of township enterprises started in Jiangning in 1980, and the construction of economic and technical development districts in 1990. From then, the high quality farm land located on the plains has been increasingly transferred to industrial, transportation and housing usage. The new Nanjing International Airport, the highway between Shanghai and Nanjing and the express railway between Beijing and Shanghai will be constructed in, or across Jiangning county. These large-scale infrastructure projects and the urbanization pressure will lead to changes in land use and thereby bring direct impacts on the water balance system in the county. Groundwater resources in Jiangning are playing an increasing role in the domestic water supply. When planning decisions are being made, the type of land use extending over any given groundwater catchment-area can be used to classify the risks of pollution to the underlying aquifer. In addition, the constructions of infrastructure and urbanization pressure at local level will still impact on the change of land use and the water balance system. This situation is an example of the very specific constraints to be considered for the future development of Jiangning. Since the 1960s, the South East China Resource and Environment Centre (SECREC), the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and its affiliated research institutions, e.g. Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, has carried out the research on physical geography, human geography, regional planning, territorial management, and the natural resource and environmental issues, particularly in the context of the conditions in south east China. This centre supports many professional researchers and technicians specialising in geography, soil science, hydrogeology, ecology etc. with a full range of muti-disciplinary and comprehensive research advantages, as well as experiences in practical applications. The centre has published several research results on natural resources and environmental issues. Several research projects at the state and provincial level have been carried out in this area. In the Sixth Five-Year Plan (1980-1985), important national research projects such as "The study on the long- term plan of water-land resources and agricultural development of Taihu lake area" and "Theory and practices of regional planning in Yangtze delta area" successfully completed. During the Seventh and Eighth Five-Year Plan (1985-1990, 1991-1995), a projects titled ìThe protection of water quality in the river system of Taihu lake" was completed, and several data bank, e.g. "Data base of natural resources in Yangtze delta", "Data base of landscape ecology in Taihu lake region" and "Data base of land cover in Taihu lake region" etc., have been established. The cooperation partner, the Institute of Regional Development Planning of Suttgart University of Germany, which is one of the leading institute for regional development planning in the world, has started comprehensive co-operation activities in China since 1987, including research projects in Jiangsu province and Shanghai city, teaching and training programmes with Chinese universities, research and consulting institutions, as well as academic exchanges with government institutions at various levels.

3. Objectives

3.1 Long-term Objective To formulate an operational method for sustainable development and management of land resource, with particular emphasis on co-ordination of economic development and ecology; to promote rational industrial land use patterns; to develop a method for defining operational categories of land use potential with regard to socio-economic and ecological requirements, with the aim of securing conditions for sustainable development.

3.2 Immediate Objectives * The availability of natural resources in terms of quality and quantity will be studied to define land use potentials, including land suitable for maintaining and improving the conditions of sustainable development. * On the basis of pilot area research, to define categories of land use potentials, to propose methods of improving industrial structure and rational related land use with the aim of the foundation for decision-making with regard to sustainable land use planning.

4. Outputs and Activities

4.1 Ecological analysis including availability of natural resources, social and economic development impacts on the resources, cological risk zones * With the connection and integration of various land use maps with environmental data, the ecological risk zones or vulnerable areas are identified; * Using advanced remote sensing technology and equipment of MOMS, to study in land use and to indicate the availability of water and land resources both in quality and quantity. Analysing the present and future pollution situation, the effects and consequences of resource development are studied; * A data-base embracing major elements for ecological analysis and categories of land use potentials. Implementing Agencies: the Institute of Landscape Planning and Ecology of the University of Stuttgart (ILPE), The South East China Resource and Environment Centre of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (SECREC).

Time Schedule: January 1997 - April 1998

4.2 Design of a land use planning orientated ecological forecasting model * Model for hydrological situation related to land use change evaluated; * Water quality and the local climate are two sensitive aspects of the environment considered in the model; * Model tested on the basis of available data. Implementing Agencies: the Institute of Regional Development Planning of the University of Stuttgart(IRDP), Institute of Hydraulic Engineering of the University of Stuttgart(IHE), ILPE, SECREC

Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 1998

4.3 Classification of Land Use Potentials and Constraints * A quantitative prediction of spatially distributed impacts on land use potential corresponding to the assessment of the hydrological and geological situation in relation to the change of land use; * Applying the model to impacts resulting from the urbanisation process, the sensitive elements of water quality and local climate will be considered. The major urbanization in Jiangning will happen on the plains. Surface water is the major source of domestic and industrial water as well as for agriculture (irrigation).The changes in water quality that may result from a future settlement structure, the counter measures to be taken against a decrease in water quality and their implementation cost will form part of the inputs needed for defining intended, the categories of land use potentials. Implementing Agencies: ILPE, SECREC, Institute of Photogrammetry of the University of Stuttgart (IP).

Time Schedule: January 1997 - September 1999

4.4 Social and economic development analysis and forecasts, capability building of local government decision-making for natural resources use and management * The demographic, transportation and economic development of the Jiangning county will be analysed and forecast at town/township (local) level. Determination of operational ( disaggregated down to spatial micro level) population, employment and transportation analysis and forecasting methods will be based on the experiences of world-wide research by IRDP; * To develop the education activities and training programme and establish an effective mechanism of rational development and management of natural resources for local governments. Implementing Agencies: IRDP, SECREC, Jiangning county Government. Time schedule: January 1997 - December 2000 5. Inputs 5.1 Chinese Inputs Chinese inputs are used for project administration, salary for domestic experts and other researchers, traffic, office equipment, publication, field investigation, etc. 5.2 International Inputs International inputs are used for hardware and software for the Nanjing data/information centre, field monitoring framework, academic exchange, consultation, travel, training program, salary for foreign experts, materials and data. 5.3 Budget The total capital needed for this project is US$ 2.13 million. The Chinese side will raise US$ 0.15 million from domestic sources, while foreign aid will cover the other US$ 1.98 million.

¡¡

Table 1. Budget by Item (in million US dollars)

¡¡

Table 2. Budget by Output (in million US dollars)

¡¡

6. Benefits Jiangning county will benefit directly from the accomplishment of the project, and the theory and methods to be developed will also benefit lower reaches of Yangtze River (even East China area) in socio-economic and ecological development. The pattern of sustainable land development and management to be established will provide information for international societies to take part in the sustainable development of land resources in the east China area and the decision support system for governments at regional and local level. The methods to be applied and the technology training will be helpful for improving the level of study of junior researchers in Chinese institutions. 7. Risks International political elements will directly influence the progress of the project and the possibility of international co-ordinated research. Understanding and support for the project from Jiangning county government will be of vital importance to the practical results of the project research. The project will involve officers from local government as members of the steering committee of the project in order to understand, and to guide and support the project research.

Text Browser Utilities: [Back, ACCA21 Home]